Content Delivery Coordinator Apparatus and Method

Abstract

Apparatus and method for managing and coordinating the delivery of information content in a manner that makes efficient use of the bandwidth of satellite based transponders being used to relay the information content to the mobile platforms. The apparatus makes use of a content management coordinator system having a graphical user interface (GUI). The GUI interfaces with one or more mobile platform operators to allow each of the operators to define the criteria by which various types of information content to be supplied to the mobile platforms. The apparatus further includes a file spaced storage monitoring subsystem which allows the file storage space available on each mobile platform to be monitored, and files deleted therefrom if necessary, to ensure that newly requested information content can be stored by the mobile platform. Information content is coordinated and aggregated as needed to ensure that transponder bandwidth is used most effectively for delivering various types of information content to each mobile platform requesting the content within each coverage region being controlled by the apparatus.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]Methods and apparatus for delivering information content from a ground based content provider to mobile platforms operating within a predefined coverage region, and more particularly to a content delivery coordinator system and method which allows a ground based operator of the mobile platforms to select specific types of content to be made available to the mobile platforms under various selected conditions and criteria defined by the operator.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The demand for information content, such as access to email accounts, information available over the Internet or other wide area networks, by individuals traveling on mobile platforms is expected to rise dramatically in the following years. Presently, various forms of mobile platforms, and particularly commercial aircraft, are being outfitted with equipment enabling the aircraft to communicate, via a transponded satellite communications link, with a ground based information content p...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present system is a content delivery coordinator system and method that manages the delivery of various types of information content to a plurality of mobile platforms operating within a given coverage region. The system allows an operator to select and tailor the delivery of information content to each mobile platform by using a graphical user interface. The system also provides cost information to the operator, allowing them to manage the overall cost incurred in supplying the information. This system enables information content to be more efficiently packaged before it is provided to the delivery mechanism and from there to the satellite transponder, or transponders, operating within one or more coverage regions. The technical effect of this system is that it allows for more efficient and cost-effective delivery of information content to mobile users in various coverage regions.

Problems solved by technology

Since multiple mobile platforms operating within a given coverage region may only rarely be requesting the exact same information content (e.g., specific weather service or news information), the opportunity exists for the limited available transponder bandwidth to be used inefficiently.

This would necessitate using additional transponder bandwidth to deliver the same content to aircraft B. As one can see, transponder resources can end up being used quite inefficiently if the availability of information content is not managed and its delivery is not coordinated in an efficient way.

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